In this paper, we describe the use of an open cell
photoacoustic configuration for the evaluation of the thermal
effusivity of liquid crystals. The feasibility, precision and reliability
of the method are initially established by measuring
the thermal effusivities of water and glycerol, for which the
effusivity values are known accurately. In order to demonstrate
the use of the present method in the thermal characterization
of liquid crystals, we have measured the thermal
effusivity values in various mesophases of 4-cyano-4 -
octyloxybiphenyl (8OCB) and 4-cyano-4 -heptyloxybiphenyl
(7OCB) liquid crystals using a variable temperature open
photoacoustic cell. A comparison of the measured values for
the two liquid crystals shows that the thermal effusivities of
7OCB in the nematic and isotropic phases are slightly less
than those of 8OCB in the corresponding phases